Thursday, September 27, 2012

The President's Council on Fitness,
Sports, and Nutrition will phase out its Youth Fitness Test, which dates back to 1966, and
replace it with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. The comprehensive school-based
program employs the latest science and promotes health and physical activity
for America's youth. This voluntary program represents a significant change in
how schools and parents approach kids' physical fitness. Instead of recognizing
athletic performance, the new program assesses students' health-related fitness
and helps them progress over time.

The Presidential Youth Fitness Program minimizes comparisons between
children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals
for lifelong health. By adopting the program, schools gain access to a robust
selection of resources
to promote lifelong physical activity: web-based access to test protocol,
standards for testing, calculators for aerobic capacity and body composition,
promotion of PALA+, online training, school recognition programs, and
more.

Key to the
success of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program is the expertise and
resources provided by partnering organizations, which include:

The adoption of the Cooper
Institute's fitness assessment, FITNESSGRAM®.

Professional development, such
as monthly webinars, led by the American Alliance for Health, Physical
Education, Recreation and Dance, a leading organization of professionals
involved in physical education.

The Amateur Athletic Union's
continued administration of the youth fitness recognition program.

The expertise of the US Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention to lead the development of a plan to
track and evaluate the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.